Originally posted by HardToStarboard
I think there's much about Christianity that can be experienced as hypocritical, dogmatic or ridiculous. All of those things involve people. Anything
that involves people can be hypocritical, dogmatic, ridiculous or (insert any other descriptor you like).
Yet it seems that for all the world's major religions, Christianity is the one that seems to have the most absolutists when it comes to Freemasonry.
Certainly I don't recall such vehemence directed from Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. towards the Craft. Why's that I wonder?
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
I, as a mason am always careful to not try and say anything that another person (mason or non-mason) may construe was hurtful toward their belief. As
masons are we not to try and hold a higher standard? We are all fighting some sort of battle and when I see comments (or make comments myself) that
are designed to deride or be hurtful it's just off-putting.
We are expected to hold ourselves to a higher standard than our non-Mason friends. But in the end, we are human and normal human shortcomings will
still happen. The difference is that we are to aspire to better ourselves going forward and not wallow in the habitual.
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
I think if we look underneath the motives of those that come here railing against masons and telling us we're going to hell we would find motives
that are good. They care enough about people to try and do what they see as ultimately helpful.
I think I'd take issue with you on that one. IMHO, the ones that come spouting fire and brimstone are looking to feel superior and are quite
unacquainted with the axiom of "live and let live".
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
They go about it HORRIBLY awfully though. Why do you or we even bother responding to them?
Because there are more observers than contestants in the threads. To let a lie go unchallenged is to allow it to accumulate a little bit more credence
in the court of public opinion.
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
Or if/when we do can we not use a soft answer instead?
Unfortunately, for all the soft, reasoned answers that are trotted out inevitably the conversation turns hard by degrees. I've yet to run into a
reasonable anti-Mason who is willing to accept that his/her beliefs about Masonry may be in error. Reasoned discussion seems to be a lost talent in
this day and age. Instead we are trapped between absolutists of one stripe or another who seem incapable of giving an inch. The other is a hidebound
fool, unworthy of our valuable time.
Such inflexibility inevitably leads to conflict.
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
I guess I'm just weary of feeling that everyone in the world is against everyone else. That's all we seem to see on the news or the internet these
days.
It's one of the outcomes of our immediate-gratification society (of which the Internet is a major player). Our attention span is winnowed down
progressively until only the most black or white statement catches our attention. That and a normal human respect for others not of our cohort is one
of society's great current shortcomings and one of the great inherent strengths of Freemasonry. In my lodge, the IPM is Sikh, we have a couple of
Muslim members, no shortage of Catholic members, a Latter Day Saints member (a pot-stirrer of the foremost degree
), Protestant members, Jewish
members and a few other I'm sure I'm overlooking.
The fact is that if men of such disparate religious backgrounds can see pretty much eye-to-eye in Lodge, then Freemasonry must represent some sort of
benchmark for the rest of the world to aspire to.
Originally posted by HardToStarboard
My apologies if my words have offended or become too abrasive to be effective. I've spent the last 30+ years as a Christian and for the past 3 years
have studied the Catholic faith until enrolling in RCIA this last fall. Myself, my wife and our children all entered the Church this past Easter
weekend. My constant goal is to serve God, love Christ with all my heart and help my fellow man in whatever fashion I'm able. I suppose I get testy
when others don't see as I do. That's my fault though.
Congratulations on exercising your faith, something everyone should do in whatever manner. I try to do the same in my own way. Ultimately, men of good
faith should all try to serve the GAOTU in the manner of their raising and if the particular words or manner don't exactly match our own, as long as
the outcome is good, then it's good that is done and all else pales into insignificance.
HTH
Fitz
